Mega Man Zero

"Zero awakens from a long rest and tries to stop the corrupted Neo Aracdia!"

Introduction-

Two years ago I got Mega Man Zero 3 for Christmas. I got to liking that game, so I wanted to get the rest in the series. I got Zero and Zero 2, and I decided to play Zero 1 first. Once I played it, I didn't want to stop. This game was indeed the best in the series. It was said to be the most difficult Mega Man game of all time (it is). This game was released in 2002 for the Game Boy Advance system.

Gameplay-

This game has solid gameplay. This game was put together very well by inticreates.

This game has responsive controls that seem natural to do. I really think that the controls were made very well, so no one would have trouble using them. Some games can be aggravating because of bad controls, but this game definitely has good controls.

The difficulty level was very hard, but you were able to bring it down a little by using cyber elves or other methods. This game was made to be extremely hard if you want it to be. The difficulty was manageable in (almost) every stage. Only one stage really got on my nerves.

The fun factor is what got me to really like this game. I believe that this game is very fun to play. It has a somewhat familiar Mega Man style with a unique twist. Most people liked this game better because Zero was the main character, not X (I personally like X and Axl, but I really do like Zero). This game didn't have any skills for beating bosses, but it instead allowed you to increase the power of your four weapons. That is good enough for me.

Overall Gameplay: 36/40

Story-

Zero has been in a capsule for approximately 100 years. He has cleared out all of the viruses in his systems, and is now resting in an Area in Neo Arcadia. Neo Arcadia was partially created by X, and was a place for peace. However, one day X disappeared, and a copy of him was made to maintain Neo Arcadia. Copy X decided to have many Reploids destroyed, for no reason at all. The Reploids that lived, and did not work for Neo Arcadia formed a group called the Resistance. The Resistance was lead by a human scientist named Ceil. Ceil's Resistance was falling apart, so the went to Zero for help. Ceil woke Zero up, and now Zero must stop the evil Neo Arcadia and it's leader, Copy X. Will he succeed.

That is Mega Man Zero's story. I thought it was a great plot, and the only Mega Man game that out performs this plot is Mega Man X7. Inticreates has a licence from Capcom to make a game, probably expected to be no better than average, but, once again, they proved how good they are.

Overall Story: 19/20

Graphics/Sound-

Inticreates did a good job in this category. They made sure that the graphics were smooth and crisp, while the sound was fitting to the area.

The graphics had great capabilities, and all of them were fulfilled. They truly made the environment fit with the story. They were very fitting with the story (destroyed lands outside of Neo Arcadia). They enemies and bosses looked great, and so did Zero. Excellent job.

The sound was fitting with the mood. If there was an emergency, there was frantic music, and if there was a peaceful time, there was more laid back music. The sound of this game is about the best a Mega Man game gets.

Overall Graphics/Sound : 18/20

Play Time/Lasting Appeal-

The play time for this game was a little short. The game could be beaten in under two hours if you go fast (maybe even one hour). However, there are items to collect that can drastically increase the play time. This game is pretty good in play time.

This game has very good lasting appeal, as there are a lot of modes to be unlocked. There are also a ton of Cyber Elves to collect and raise. This game does a good job on making sure you don't run out of stuff to do. Plus, you will probably like this game enough to want to play it through a few more times. Inticreates shows that they know what they are doing.

Overall Play Time/Lasting Appeal: 18/20

Overall Score-
Gameplay: 36/40
Story: 19/20
Graphics/Sound: 18/20
Play Time/Lasting Appeal: 18/20

If you have a chance, buy this game. Due to the fact that it is a rare game, you may find it hard to get one, but eBay might have some. This game is one of the best games out there, and it deserves to be listed among the highest Mega Man games, or all games, out there in this world.
Total Score: 91/100 (about a 9/10)

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/27/06